I'm Trying
by Gamma Orionis
Summary: Regulus is trying desperately to do the right thing. Telling Lily Evans that her family is in danger is most certainly the right thing. Written for Asking Me Where My Love Grows' First Kiss Challenge on the HPFC forum.


Author's Notes: Yet another entry for Asking Me Where My Love Grows' First Kiss Challenge on the HPFC forum.

This one may be a touch non-canon-compliant… if so I apologize. Enjoy!

)O(

"I have been given," Voldemort said, addressing his Death Eaters, "a piece of information that shall be instrumental in protecting our cause. It is one child who could – given the chance – bring about all our downfalls."

Regulus was not paying attention. He was doing his best to employ Occlumency as effectively as possible so that the Dark Lord did not find out what he was thinking about. About how to destroy the locket he had found. The horcrux he finally had the chance to get rid of.

"Who is the child, my Lord?" Bellatrix asked eagerly, leaning over the table. Regulus winced and looked away. It made him sick to see his cousin fawning over such a man as the Dark Lord.

"His name," said Voldemort, a cruel smile forming on his lips, "is Harry Potter. The son of James and Lily Potter."

There was a quiet murmur – _do you know them? I don't know them_ – around the table, but Regulus scarcely noticed. His attention had been caught.

_Lily Potter? Lily Evans Potter_?

"The child must be killed," Voldemort told them. "And I must do it. And anyone who stands in my way shall be killed as well."

)O(

As soon as Regulus was out of the meeting, he apparated to the Potter's house and banged on the door. "Lily! Lily, are you in there? Lily!"

The door swung in, and Lily Evans – Regulus refused to think of her as Lily Potter – looked out at him. She was balancing a baby on her hip, and seemed rather confused by his presence. "Do… do I know you?"

"Regulus," he prompted. She shook her head, shrugging.

"Sirius's brother," he told her. "And there's something–"

Lily disappeared for half a second and reappeared in the doorway without the baby, and with her wand trained on him. "You're one of _his_. One of the Death Eaters. How do you know where I live?"

"Sirius told me–"

"Just stay back, or I'll kill you myself instead of calling for the aurors!"

"Lily, there's something very important I have to tell you."

"What?" Lily hissed. "What is it and why is it so important that you're here. Don't you dare come into my house or I'll kill you, I swear I will."

"It's your son, Lily…" Regulus glanced in and saw the baby sitting on the couch, sucking his thumb. "The Dark Lord believes that your son is going to bring about his downfall."

"That's madness."

"Nevertheless, that's what he believes. And he's going to kill your child."

Lily's eyes narrowed, glinting dangerously. "I won't let him."

"You won't be able to stop him. Lily, I'm begging you, go into hiding. Go into hiding until the war's over."

"The war's never going to be over. You-know-who is getting stronger every day."

"That's what people think," Regulus said, thinking of the locket, the horcrux, the little piece of Voldemort's immortality that he had, that he was going to destroy soon. And when he did that, then Voldemort's end would be imminent.

Lily bit her lip, apparently not sure whether she could trust Regulus or not. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Think about it, Lily. Why would I tell you to go into hiding unless I was trying to protect you? Can you think of any other reason? I'm not asking you to tell me where you're going to hide, I'm just saying you can't stay out in the open like this."

"Why?" Lily asked simply.

"Because the Dark Lord is out of his mind. I'm not going to stand by and let him murder an innocent baby – not when the baby's mother was the object of my affection all through my teenage years," he added, chuckling mirthlessly.

Lily tilted her head. She seemed to be thinking, and did so for a long while before finally leaning forward and kissing Regulus. "Thank you, Regulus. This was the right thing to do," she said softly.

"I'm trying," he said, doing his best not to show just how much he enjoyed being kissed by her – even a little chaste kiss like that.

She smiled. "Now go, or I may have to call the aurors anyway. Thank you."

And she shut the door.

"I'm trying to do the right thing," Regulus repeated in a whisper, staring at the door behind which sweet Lily, who he had adored so when they were young, had disappeared. "I'm trying."

He prayed that they would someday share a second kiss.

He never saw her again.

)O(

_Fin_


End file.
